Eighth-Born Luna (Emily and Nathan) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Emily’s POV

By the time Nathan and I reached the main house, Beatrice’s screams were echoing through the entire upper loor. Every instinct inside me twisted. Fear, agony, grief–I could feel all of it through our bond so strongly it made me nauseous.

Nathan shoved the bedroom doors open, slamming them against the wall.

“Beatrice!” I gasped.

She was curled on the bed, drenched in sweat, clutching the sheets so tightly her knuckles were white. Her hair stuck to her tear–streaked face while another contraction ripped through her body, twisting her in pure agony.

‘AHH-!”

The sound tore right through me. I rushed to her side.

“Hey, hey–breathe,” I said quickly, reaching for her shaking hands. “You’re okay. We’re here now.”

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” She ripped her hand away violently, the sheer hatred in her eyes catching me completely off guard.

“This is your fault!” she sobbed, coughing through the pain. “Ryan is dead because of you!”

The words cut deep, leaving me numb.

Nathan stepped forward.

‘Beatrice-”

“NO!” she screamed, her voice breaking hysterically. “He should be here with me!”

Another contraction slammed into her before Nathan could answer,

She cried out so hard I felt the phantom pain echo through my own stomach.

“Just breathe,” I whispered, the crushing guilt making it hard to find my voice. “We sent for Doctor Reed.”

“I WANT RYAN!” she wailed, her voice completely broken as she thrashed against the pillows.

Nathan looked away sharply. None of us knew how to answer that. He was gone, and she was facing this

nightmare completely alone.

Footsteps thundered down the hallway. Doctor Reed burst into the room carrying his medical bags, with Poppy and Marcus right behind him.

“Thank the Moon Goddess,” Poppy breathed.

Doctor Reed moved to the bedside, checking Beatrice while she trembled through the next wave of pain. His

J… J

Nathan blinked, “What does that mean?

“It means,” Reed snapped, pulling on his gloves, “the baby’s coming now.”

Another contraction ripped through Beatrice’s body so violently she nearly folded in half, screaming in agony.

‘AHHH-!”

The pain rolled through our bond, making my own stomach twist. Poppy climbed onto the bed beside her.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” she said firmly, gently holding Beatrice’s face. “You’re okay. Breathe through it. Don’t ight your body.”

“I CAN’T-!”

“Yes, you can.” Poppy’s voice softened. “You’re stronger than this pain.”

Doctor Reed moved quickly, while Marcus hovered nearby, looking like he wanted to fight someone but had no idea who.

“…Why does childbirth look more terrifying than war?” he muttered.

Nathan ignored him completely, his entire focus staying on Beatrice as she shook on the bed.

Doctor Reed’s face darkened as he listened to the baby’s heartbeat. “…Damn it.”

I stepped closer. “What?”

Reed looked up slowly. For a man who had delivered dozens of pack pups, he looked deeply shaken.

“The babies are in distress. We need to get them out right now.”

Poppy grabbed Beatrice’s hand tighter. “Okay, Bea. Listen to me carefully.” Her voice turned calm and steady. ‘Next contraction–you push.”

Beatrice sobbed violently. “I can’t do this without him…”

“She’s perfect,” I said.

Beatrice broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Poppy carefully placed the first newborn against Beatrice’s chest, ind I gently laid the baby girl beside her brother. Both infants settled instantly against her skin, seeking her varmth.

Beatrice’s tears were no longer born from the agony of childbirth, but from a tidal wave of relief, lingering grief, and pure, overwhelming love, She cradled them both, pressing her face into their hair.

And while she cried softly, Nathan quietly turned away from the bed, wiping his eyes before anyone could see.

Nathan’s POV

Marcus noticed anyway, because of course he did. He stepped up beside me and slapped my shoulder, a small smirk breaking through his tired face.

“Don’t worry, man, your secret’s safe with me,” he murmured, keeping his voice down. “But seriously, looking at all this… I have about nine months before Poppy puts me through the exact same nightmare. I might actually need you to hold my hand when the time comes.

I let out a rough laugh, shoving his hand off my shoulder. “Shut up.”

“And what about you two?” Marcus added, glancing between Emily and me with a knowing grin. “When are you guys starting on an heir?”

The playful mood vanished. A cold knot tied itself in my stomach, and I stiffened. The high priestess’s words echoed clearly in my mind. Because Declan had forced his dark mark onto Emily’s neck, having children was supposed to be impossible for us. The corruption of that bond had ruined our future before it even started.

“Probably never,” I muttered, looking down.

But as the words left my mouth, my eyes tracked over to Emily. I frowned, looking closely at her neck.

I blinked once, then twice, a strange confusion taking over. Something was off.

Before she could even ask what was wrong, I stepped across the room and grabbed her face, tilting her head from side to side.

“Nathan, what are you doing?” she stammered, her head bobbing as I shifted my grip to check behind her ear.

My hands shook as my fingers frantically traced her skin, checking every single inch of her neck where that disgusting mark was supposed to be.

I pushed her hair back again and again, terrified that my eyes were playing tricks on me.

But there was nothing. It was just gone.

I looked straight into her eyes, completely breathless.

“Emily… where is his mark?”